A gaming system includes an input device configured to receive a wager input from a player at a gaming terminal to be eligible to win a progressive award, which is displayed on a display device. A controller is operative to cause the display device to display a numerical unit value of the progressive award and a non-numerical fraction of the numerical unit value. In response to the wager input received from the player and other wager inputs received from players at other gaming terminals, the controller is further operative to cause the display device to display changes to the non-numerical fraction as the numerical unit value progresses from a current unit value to a next unit value.