A Georgia man was taken to hospital in critical condition Thursday after he allegedly encouraged his friends to set his head on fire at a bar by dousing him with 100-proof booze, police said.

The 36-year-old man had originally phoned police to report several attackers had lit his head on fire, but police later learned otherwise by watching surveillance video captured at Allie Katz Bar in Augusta, the Richmond County Sheriff's Office said.

Footage showed it took the man's friends two attempts to ignite the Bacardi 151 on his head before he rushed around the bar with his entire head ablaze, the video shows.

"The man who was set on fire bet his friends that he was drinking with that he could set his face on fire.

Obviously no one believed him and he proved them wrong," Lt. Blaise Dresser told WJBF-TV.

The man was released from hospital Sunday and police said he won't be charged because he's suffered enough.