An electronic gaming system includes a server and a plurality of electronic gaming machines, each machine including a logic system configured for communication with the server, a memory and a theoretical coin-out meter. The memory includes instructions executable by the logic system for running on the gaming machine a persistence game having one or more recordable persistence states leading to a redeemable persistence award. Each persistence state has a persistence value representing a portion of the persistence award. The persistence game is interruptible at a first machine and resumable at a second machine at a recorded persistence state. The theoretical coin-out meter stores unawarded persistence values accumulated by the machine from advancing the persistence game during game play among the one or more persistence states. A persistence award redeemed at one of the machines is reconciled with unawarded persistence values accumulated at another one or more of the machines.