John Mateer didn’t expect his name to be at the center of a sports betting controversy before ever taking a snap for Oklahoma. The newly arrived quarterback is now facing questions about potential NCAA penalties, all sparked by some Venmo screenshots that made the rounds online. What happens next could shape both his future and the Sooners’ season.
How Did John Mateer’s Alleged Sports Betting Come to Light?
The situation blew up after screenshots surfaced on social media allegedly showing Venmo transactions between Mateer and Richard Roaten dated November 20, 2022. The transactions included notes like “Sports gambling (UCLA vs USC)” and “Sports gambling,” which immediately caught attention.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Oklahoma QB John Mateer has allegedly engaged in sports betting, including on NCAA football games such as UCLA vs USC, according to Venmo transactions.
NCAA rules prohibit athletes from wagering on any NCAA-sanctioned events pic.twitter.com/UZTt8g4iDR
— Bryan Aguada (@Bryan_Aguada) August 11, 2025
The alleged betting happened while Mateer was a freshman at Washington State, meaning he was under NCAA rules then.
It is pertinent to note, however, that many had flagged the “journalist” above as fake, so these were purely allegations and nothing more.
Once again, check out the profile of anyone “breaking” news you’ve never heard of before. It took me 12 seconds to figure out this fake reporter’s avi is a pic of NHL forward Zach Aston-Reese from his college hockey days. https://t.co/glHE7XoeUY pic.twitter.com/8plE1GaBUd
— A.J. Perez (@byajperez) August 12, 2025
Following the sudden attention on social media, Mateer reportedly deleted his entire Venmo transaction history, fueling more speculation about his actions.
Reports suggest that Oklahoma is aware of the allegations behind the scenes.
NEW: Oklahoma is aware of John Mateer’s Venmo transactions and is handling it, @GeorgeStoia reports.
“Mateer made it clear to the school that he has never gambled.”
Intel: https://t.co/VvfgHtlFwu pic.twitter.com/ch5RFwVerR
— On3 (@On3sports) August 12, 2025
Even though the payments took place between teammates rather than with a formal sportsbook, the NCAA can still hand down major penalties. Some people have speculated that the Venmo notes could have been jokes, but the rules leave little room for interpretation when it comes to betting, especially if there’s any evidence at all.
The question marks surrounding the case were finally put to rest when John Mateer put out a statement owning up to the transactions but insisting they weren’t sinister.
— John Mateer (@John_Mateer4) August 12, 2025
What Penalties Could John Mateer Face Over Betting Allegations?
The NCAA organizes sports betting violations into different categories, each with its own consequences. The harshest is a permanent loss of eligibility, which typically applies when a player bets on their team’s games or gives out inside info.
If the allegations prove true, Mateer would fall under the rule for “wagering on your own sport at another school” – in this case, college football. That violation means he would lose 50% of one season of eligibility and have to go through sports betting education before returning to play.
This rule fits the situation described, since Mateer is accused of betting on college football (UCLA vs USC) while being a college football player himself. The penalty is stricter than those given for betting on other sports.
If any investigation confirms the allegations, sitting out half the 2024-25 Oklahoma football season would be a huge deal. On top of that, the NCAA would require Mateer to complete an education program on gambling rules before he could be reinstated.
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The NCAA adjusted its policies in 2023, cracking down even more after several high-profile betting scandals. Officials are now paying much closer attention to financial records and social media activity than previous years when these kinds of things often got overlooked.
Right now, there’s no word of an official NCAA investigation, and the accusations remain just that without formal charges. The informal nature of the Venmo payments, and the possibility that they were meant as jokes, could be a factor if things get examined more closely down the line.
For now, Mateer is still part of Oklahoma’s plans for the 2024-25 campaign, preparing to compete as the NCAA considers what, if anything, will happen next.
this is the problem of the modern world… anybody can fabricate an online presence to make it look like anything they want it to… it’s the ultimate smear tool. Posted by a known fake, I don’t expect much can be made from this.