Mateer denies sports gambling allegations

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer denies past Venmo references to sports gambling, calling them inside jokes.

Mateer Denies Sports Gambling Allegations at Oklahoma

Monday night screenshots surfaced showing Venmo memos that referenced sports gambling during Mateer’s freshman year at Washington State, including two transactions dated November 20, 2022. Mateer transferred to Oklahoma this offseason as a top quarterback prospect and will join the Sooners this season. The player responded on X this week, saying he has never bet on sports and that the memos were inside jokes with friends.

OU Athletics said it takes gambling allegations seriously and works closely with the NCAA in any situation of concern. The school added there is no known NCAA investigation. Mateer passed for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns last season at Washington State and is listed as ESPN portal's No. 1 quarterback prospect this offseason after his transfer to Oklahoma. Oklahoma is ranked 18th in the AP Top 25 and opens the season at home on August 30 against Illinois State.

The episode shows how a single online buzz can test a program long before a case is fully investigated. Without a formal NCAA probe, public reaction can shape the narrative around a player and a program. The situation highlights the balance schools must strike between transparent communication and protecting athletes' privacy. The risk to Mateer's credibility is real, but the longer arc could be about how colleges enforce rules while managing reputations in the social media era.

For Mateer, the controversy could influence how coaches and recruiters assess him off the field as much as on it. The program will watch closely how they respond to questions of context, timeline, and intent, which may set a precedent for similar cases in the future.

Highlights

The case may shape how campuses balance privacy with accountability