1. A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, each gaming machine including an electronic display device, and one or more electronic input devices; and one or more controllers configured to: detect, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices in a first gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; initiate a first casino wagering game played via the first gaming machine in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance; in response to the first wagering game being played, award a first-event eligibility-based equity that allows a player to be eligible for a first event if it occurs during the first casino wagering game; receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices of the first gaming machine, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance; and convert the first-event eligibility-based equity to a second-event eligibility-based equity that allows the player to be eligible for a second event if it occurs during a second casino wagering game played via a second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines.