OKLAHOMA Sooners quarterback John Mateer has adamantly claimed he never bet on sports.
Mateer, 21, was alleged to have bet on games while playing for Washington State.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has denied that he took part in sports gambling[/caption]
The allegations are from 2022 when he played for Washington State[/caption]
He was with the school from 2022 to 2024 before transferring to Oklahoma last December.
Screenshots alleged to be his Venmo transactions from 2022 were posted on social media this week.
Some of them have the description, “Sports gambling.”
Betting on any NCAA events is strictly banned for athletes.
Mateer released a statement Tuesday night, saying the transaction descriptions were “inside jokes.”
He said on X, “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.”
The 21-year-old adamantly declared, “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 betting.”
Oklahoma also released a statement on the matter.
It read, “OU takes any allegations of gambling seriously and works closely with the NCAA in any situation of concern.
“OU Athletics is unaware of any NCAA investigation and has no reason to believe there is one pending.”
Mateer is from Little Elm, Texas and played high school football there.
He committed to Washington State University in 2022.
Mateer took over the starting job in 2024 in his junior season.
The quarterback had 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
His team went 8-4 and Mateer was named the top offensive performer in the Pac-12 Conference.
Mateer entered the transfer portal in December.
He signed for Oklahama within days and is tipped to be an NFL Draft prospect next spring.
