Oklahoma Quarterback John Mateer claims sports-related Venmo transactions were merely humorous inside jokes.
John Mateer, the Oklahoma Sooners' quarterback, has found himself under scrutiny following allegations of sports gambling, a claim he vehemently denies. The controversy stems from Venmo transactions that were made during his college years at Washington State, with the transactions being described as "sports gambling" in the Venmo notes[1][2][3].
The transactions in question occurred the day after the UCLA vs USC football game, which took place on Nov. 19, 2022[3]. Mateer, who played three seasons at Washington State, including the past two as the Cougars' starting quarterback, before transferring to Oklahoma this offseason, has claimed that the controversial Venmo payment notes were merely inside jokes between friends, not actual bets[1][3].
Oklahoma University is aware of the matter and is handling it internally. However, there is public reporting of an investigation or inquiry connected to these allegations[1]. According to some sources, the NCAA is looking into the matter, but Oklahoma Athletics and the school have stated they are unaware of any NCAA investigation and have no reason to believe one is pending[2][3]. Some insiders believe Mateer is unlikely to face an NCAA probe given his denial and lack of evidence[4].
The NCAA currently prohibits student-athletes from engaging in sports betting at any level[2]. Mateer's alleged involvement in sports betting during his college years, if proven true, could potentially impact his eligibility and playing status.
In a statement, Mateer indicated that he had written those words in jest[5]. The amounts of the transactions were not disclosed. Oklahoma Athletics provides ongoing education on sports gambling matters to its student-athletes and uses a service for comprehensive monitoring of sports gambling activities[6].
David Leong, who counsels problem gamblers whose lives were once like his, including one who had a gambling problem related to the UCLA vs USC game, expressed concern over the potential normalisation of sports gambling among student-athletes[7].
As the investigation continues, Mateer maintains his innocence and asserts that the Venmo descriptions were inside jokes between him and his friends and did not accurately portray the transactions in question[1][3]. The situation remains unresolved, and the outcome of the investigation will determine if Mateer's eligibility and playing status will be affected.
References: 1. ESPN 2. Sports Illustrated 3. The Oklahoman 4. Yahoo Sports 5. Twitter 6. Oklahoma Athletics 7. The Guardian
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