Oklahoma QB John Mateer has denied any involvement with sports betting after screenshots of his Venmo account went viral Monday night.
Mateer’s Venmo history no longer exists. The alleged transactions were from the fall of 2022 when Mateer was a true freshman at Washington State and one transaction referenced USC and UCLA. The transactions allegedly included "sports gambling" twice in the memo section.
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In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Mateer said the transactions didn't have anything to do with sports betting.
"The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false," Mateer said. "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."
Mateer transferred to Oklahoma after the 2024 season. He followed Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Norman after Washington State scored 36.6 points per game a season ago. Only five more teams scored more per game than the Cougars did. Oklahoma, meanwhile, averaged 24 points a game and ranked 97th in the country.
Mateer was the catalyst for Washington State’s offense. He completed nearly 65% of his passes for 3,139 yards and 29 TDs while also leading the team in rushing. He had 178 carries for 826 yards and 15 TDs and tied Miami’s Cam Ward for the most total touchdowns in college football.
A player found to have wagered on his or her own sport involving a game with other schools can lose up to half a season of eligibility. A player who wagered on something involving his or her own team can face a permanent loss of eligibility. In 2023, former Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers lost his eligibility after he was found to have placed a $15 bet on ISU football in 2021 when he was a backup.
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