Methods and apparatus are provided for sensing a paper low condition for fan-folded tickets in a ticket printer. An aperture is provided in a bottom portion of a paper tray which supports a stack of fan-folded tickets. The aperture may be positioned underneath an end of the ticket stack. A reflective sensor is positioned underneath the aperture. Light from the reflective sensor is reflected off a bottom ticket of the ticket stack and back to the sensor when the bottom ticket covers the aperture, indicating the presence of the tickets in the paper tray. A paper low condition may be sensed when enough tickets are printed such that the end of the ticket stack is lifted off the bottom portion of the paper tray and away from the aperture such that light is not reflected back to the sensor.