Ticket reading apparatus is disclosed having a moving grooved belt for transporting tickets fed singly thereto by separator rollers controlled by a clutch and brake in relation to information recording speed. Reading is accomplished by at least two detectors spaced to read information along the length of the ticket regardless of end-for-end orientation. Each detector comprises a light source and photocell detector having a narrow rhombic aperture for optimum reading of tickets oriented longitudinally on the belt or only slightly skewed. There is also provided a ticket routing gate assembly operated by a switch enabled by the information recorder to divert tickets to one of two routes and to stack tickets which have not been properly read.