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John Mateer, Oklahoma’s prized quarterback transfer, is facing scrutiny after screenshots of his Venmo transactions with gambling-related descriptions surfaced on social media this week.
The images show Mateer sending payments in 2022 with descriptions like “sports gambling” and “sports gambling (UCLA vs USC).” This timing is significant — it was during his freshman year at Washington State when NCAA rules prohibited him from betting on college sports. His Venmo activity has since disappeared from public view.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that OU officials know about the allegations, but Mateer has “consistently denied” any gambling involvement. The university is now looking into the matter.
Mateer didn’t wait long to defend himself.
“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.”
The controversy couldn’t come at a worse time for Oklahoma. The Sooners are banking on Mateer — 247Sports’ top-ranked transfer portal prospect — to elevate their offense after he followed offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State to Norman.
Mateer was electric last season.
The dual-threat QB completed nearly 65% of his passes for 3,139 yards with 29 touchdowns and just seven interceptions for the Cougars. His running ability made him especially dangerous — he rushed 178 times for 826 yards and 15 scores. His 44 total touchdowns tied for the FBS lead with former teammate Cameron Ward (who became the NFL’s #1 overall pick), and he was one of only two quarterbacks nationwide to throw for 20+ TDs while also rushing for 10+.
Oklahoma released a statement emphasizing their approach to gambling education: “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 is unaware of any NCAA investigation and has no reason to believe there is one pending.”
This situation adds pressure to head coach Brent Venables, who’s already feeling the heat after last season’s disappointing 6-7 record. He’s now just the second Oklahoma coach ever to post losing records in two of his first three seasons — joining John Blake, who was fired after year three. The Sooners were counting on Mateer to provide the quarterback stability they’ve lacked, but now his eligibility could potentially be in question if the gambling allegations gain traction.
The original screenshots that started the controversy remain online, leaving Sooner fans anxiously waiting to see how this plays out as the season approaches.
Arbuckle Drawing Comparisons to Riley
While Mateer deals with off-field issues, his offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle — who also came from Washington State — is generating buzz in Norman. Some are already comparing the young OC’s offensive mind to former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, who led the Sooners to three College Football Playoff appearances before his controversial departure to USC.
The Arbuckle-Mateer connection was supposed to be Oklahoma’s ticket back to offensive dominance in their first SEC season. Now that partnership faces its first major challenge before the season even begins.
