Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, John Mateer, is pushing back against allegations that he engaged in sports gambling after screenshots of past Venmo transactions appeared online earlier this week. The images, which circulated Monday night on social media, show two payments from November 20, 2022, labeled “sports gambling” and “sports gambling (UCLA vs USC).”
At the time of those transactions, Mateer was a freshman at Washington State University. Both payments were reportedly sent to a Venmo account believed to belong to then-teammate Richard Roaten. UCLA and USC had played the day before the noted transaction.
The NCAA strictly forbids athletes and staff from betting on any sport it governs, whether at the college, professional, or amateur level. Violations can result in the loss of eligibility — a potentially career-ending penalty for student-athletes.
Mateer: “I Have Never Bet on Sports”
On Tuesday, Mateer issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) denying the accusations outright. “The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false,” Mateer wrote. “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. I understand the seriousness of the matter but recognize that, taken out of context, those Venmo descriptions suggest otherwise. I can assure my teammates, coaches, and officials at the NCAA that I have not engaged in any sports gambling.”
Oklahoma officials told ESPN they were made aware of the situation late Monday night and are reviewing it internally. Multiple outlets report that Mateer’s Venmo history has since been made private or removed.
Oklahoma’s Response and NCAA Context
The University of Oklahoma released its own statement, emphasizing its commitment to compliance and athlete education.
“OU Athletics provides ongoing education to its student-athletes, coaches, and staff on matters related to sports gambling. The department utilizes ProhiBet, which is an industry-standard service offering comprehensive monitoring of sports gambling activities. OU takes any allegations of gambling seriously and works closely with the NCAA in any situations of concern. OU Athletics is unaware of any NCAA investigation and has no reason to believe there is one pending.”
The NCAA has not commented publicly on the matter. Washington State University also declined to provide a statement.
The incident comes amid broader discussions within college sports about gambling rules. Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision that legalized sports betting nationwide, the NCAA has been grappling with increased exposure to betting-related issues. A 2023 NCAA survey found that more than a quarter of Division I schools reported dealing with at least one sports betting problem among athletes or staff in the past year — a notable jump from 2019 figures.
In June, the NCAA’s Division I Council proposed easing restrictions to allow athletes and staff to bet on professional sports, though the ban on wagering on college athletics would remain.
High Expectations for Oklahoma’s New Quarterback
Mateer entered this offseason as one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal, ranked No. 1 overall by both ESPN and 247Sports. After three seasons with Washington State, including a breakout 2024 campaign, he transferred to Oklahoma alongside offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
Last season, Mateer completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns, adding 826 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground. His 44 total touchdowns tied for the most in the FBS, matching former teammate and No. 1 NFL draft pick Cameron Ward.
Oklahoma is coming off consecutive 6–7 seasons, putting pressure on head coach Brent Venables in his fourth year. The Sooners, ranked 18th in the Associated Press preseason poll, are counting on Mateer to help lead a turnaround. Their season opener is set for August 30 against Illinois State in Norman.
While the quarterback insists the Venmo references were harmless jokes, the episode underscores how quickly off-field issues can capture attention in today’s college football landscape. For now, Oklahoma maintains there is no indication of an impending NCAA investigation, and Mateer remains focused on preparing for the start of the season.
