John Mateer Venmo scandal: Insider provides latest update on Oklahoma QB's recent social media activity

Garima
Syndication: The Oklahoman - Source: Imagn
Syndication: The Oklahoman - Source: Imagn

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is facing allegations of betting after screenshots from his old Venmo account went viral on Monday, showing payment notes that mention “sports gambling.” These transactions date back to November 2022, when Mateer was a freshman at Washington State. One of the payments mentioned a game between USC and UCLA.

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Sooners insider George Stoia reported on Tuesday that Oklahoma is aware of the screenshots and is handling the matter internally.

In a public statement, the school said:

“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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Syndication: The Oklahoman - Source: Imagn
Syndication: The Oklahoman - Source: Imagn

NCAA rules say players who bet on their own sport or team can lose playing time, or even their eligibility. A similar case in 2023 saw Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers lose his eligibility for betting $15 on an ISU football game while he was a backup.

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John Mateer denied allegations of sports betting

John Mateer has denied the allegations. In a statement on X on Tuesday, he said the descriptions in his Venmo history were taken out of context and were meant as inside jokes among friends.

“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.
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"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.”
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In 2022, Mateer did not receive much playing time at Washington State. However, in 2024, he played in 12 games, throwing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 64.6% of his passes. He also rushed for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He transferred to Oklahoma after the season, following his offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. He is expected to start for the Sooners in 2025.

Edited by Garima
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