New Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has found himself in the midst of controversy, as screenshots of questionable Venmo transactions surfaced this week on social media.
The pictures show Mateer paying someone in 2022, with the description of the transaction being “sports gambling,” and “sports gambling (UCLA vs USC).” The 2022 season marked Mateer’s first year with Washington State, meaning he was not allowed to gamble on college football. Mateer’s Venmo activity has since been removed or made private.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Oklahoma officials are aware of Mateer’s alleged Venmo activity, but the quarterback has “consistently denied” ever being involved with gambling. Oklahoma is now looking into the situation.
On Tuesday, Mateer posted a statement on social media, claiming that the Venmo descriptions were just jokes.
“The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false. 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 also released a statement, saying they have no reason to believe the NCAA will launch their own investigation into the matter:
“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.”
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Mateer, who was 247Sports’ No. 1 transfer portal prospect, is Oklahoma’s key offseason addition, as he elected to leave Pullman for Norman along with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Last season for the Cougars, Mateer completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. As a runner, Mateer put together a historic campaign, rushing 178 times for 826 yards and 15 more scores. His 44 total touchdowns were tied for the most in the FBS with former teammate and No. 1 overall pick Cameron Ward, and he was one of just two FBS quarterbacks to throw for 20 touchdowns and rush for 10 touchdowns.
Coach Brent Venables is entering an important season after posting a 6-7 record in 2024. He is just the second Oklahoma coach to ever post a losing record in two of his first three seasons, following in the footsteps of John Blake, who was fired after his third year. The Sooners are expected to improve with more consistency at the quarterback position, but that new quarterback has now found himself in a bit of hot water.
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