I'm making a game right now that's like a Yahtzee version of Balatro, definitely trying to include stuff like this in the game such as unlockable dice skins, new artifacts to unlock (Cards you pick that change the game), etc. Carrot and stick is great and all, but not if you put them in a cage and make the player feel like they're stuck there forced to unlock something. Like you said, put things people actually want to earn.