Oklahoma QB John Mateer breaks silence on gambling accusations
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is facing scrutiny after screenshots of alleged old Venmo transactions surfaced on social media on Monday.
The images sparked allegations of sports gambling and became widely circulated, indicating Mateer made two payments in November 2022 during his freshman season at Washington State. The memo lines for the transaction read 'sports gambling' and 'sports gambling (UCLA vs USC).'
Under NCAA rules, athletes are prohibited from wagering on any NCAA-sponsored sport, whether they participate in it or not. Any violations can carry significant penalties, including loss of eligibility.
The screenshots are reportedly tied to payments sent to then-teammate Richard Roaten and have since prompted speculation about Mateer's involvement.
Mateer addressed the matter on social media, firmly denying that he has ever bet on sports.
'The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false,' Mateer wrote on X. 'My previous Venmo descriptions did not accurately portray the transactions in question but were instead inside jokes between me and my friends. I have never bet on sports.'
Mateer acknowledged that the language used in the payment notes could be misleading, but denied that they were evidence of wrongdoing. His Venmo activity has since been removed or made private.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Oklahoma officials are aware of the allegations and are investigating the matter. Mateer, who was ranked as 247Sports' No. 1 transfer portal prospect, transferred from Washington State to Oklahoma this offseason, following offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Norman.
Mateer posted a standout season, completing 64.6 percent of his passes for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while adding 826 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores.
The controversy comes just weeks before No. 18 Oklahoma opens its season Aug. 30 against Illinois State. Coach Brent Venables is under pressure after a 6-7 record in 2024 and was counting on Mateer to deliver stability at quarterback as the Sooners enter their second SEC season.
Whether the NCAA chooses to investigate could determine if Mateer takes the field in the opener or faces a far more complicated start to his Oklahoma career.
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