Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has denied fresh allegations of sports betting just weeks before the Sooners are due to begin their NCAA campaign.
Controversy arose on Tuesday when screenshots of Mateer’s Venmo account appeared to show two transactions on the mobile payment app made on November 20, 2022 while he was a freshman at Washington State.
Last season Mateer led Washington to an 8-4 record, recording 3,139 passing yards and 826 rushing yards to go with 44 total touchdowns. He rates as a potential high-value quarterback prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft if he continues to develop.
The 21-year-old transferred to Oklahoma in December and is widely expected to begin the year as the team’s starting signal caller – but only if the ‘sports gambling’ references in his payments are indeed inside jokes as he claims.
Mateer is as short as +2000 with online casinos to win the Heisman Trophy in 2025-26.
Oklahoma are currently ranked No 18 in the preseason AP pool and Mateer reportedly signed an NIL deal worth $3 million to lead the offense under head coach Brent Venables.
John Mateer Denies Sports Betting Allegations, Citing ‘Inside Jokes’ With Friends
In a statement, Mateer wrote: “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 recognise 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.”
What Punishment Is Mateer Facing If Found Guilty?
Current NCAA rules state: “If a student-athlete wagers on their own sport at another school, education on sports wagering rules and prevention will be required as a condition of reinstatement and the loss of 50% of one season of eligibility will be considered.”
The NCAA prohibits participation in sports betting apps and providing information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports betting activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition.
Joe Lyons is a betting industry writer for GamblingIndustryNews with years of experience on reputable gambling websites. Joe specialises in long form content in the world of sports betting and gambling. Joe is recognised as an expert in sports fields such as horse racing, soccer, NFL and NBA.
