Oklahoma's Mateer calls sports gambling allegations 'false'

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer denied gambling on sports after Venmo transactions from his account surfaced with descriptions referencing bets.

"The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false," Mateer said in a statement Tuesday. "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."

Screenshots posted online Monday allegedly show Mateer labeling Venmo descriptions as "sports gambling" twice on Nov. 22, 2022, during his freshman year at Washington State. Both payments were allegedly sent to an account in the name of Richard Roaten.

Oklahoma issued a statement Tuesday acknowledging the situation.

"OU athletics provides ongoing education to its student-athletes, coaches, and staff on matters related to sports gambling," the athletic department said, according to CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello. "The department utilizes ProhiBet, which is an industry-standard service offering comprehensive monitoring of sports gambling activities.

"OU takes any allegations of sports 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."

Mateer spent the first three years of his college football career at Washington State before transferring to Oklahoma in December. He ranked No. 1 on ESPN's portal rankings after a breakout 2024 season in which he threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also added 826 yards and 15 scores on the ground.

The 21-year-old has two more years of eligibility remaining.