No modern offseason feels complete without a sports betting scandal creeping into college football. Now, with the 2025 season almost here, Oklahoma fans should be talking touchdowns, but instead, the buzz is about quarterbacks, Venmo, and the words “sports gambling.” And at the center of it all? QB John Mateer, serving up a headline that’s more off-field drama than on-field action.

Yes, on Monday, social media lit up with screenshots tied to an account claiming to be Mateer. He now finds himself embroiled in controversy following the circulation of screenshots purportedly showing his Venmo transactions from 2022.

Venmo transactions put Mateer in the spotlight

On Aug. 11, Exposing SEC Bias dropped screenshots that sent social media buzzing. He captioned it as, “Is this actually John Mateer’s account? If so, you got some ‘splainin to do, pal.” The screenshots suggest that Matter transferred funds to an individual named Richard Langdon, widely believed to be his Washington State teammate, Landon Roaten, with the apparent intent of engaging in sports betting. The transactions, dated November 20, 2022, included one note referencing “Sports gambling (UCLA vs USC),” while the other simply stated “Sports gambling.” On Nov. 23, 2022, Richard Langdon paid the account speculated to be Mateer’s that stated “Ultra sports gambling fifa World Cup.” 

It’s hard to imagine a student-athlete labeling payments so blatantly, but the truth will surface soon enough. If he did gamble on sports, even casually with friends, it could spell the end of his amateur career. On top of that, if it’s an elaborate prank, legal action could still follow. But that’s not all; more consequences could be on the horizon.

Potential NCAA and legal fallout

The NCAA enforces stringent regulations that explicitly forbid college athletes from placing bets on any NCAA-related events. Confirmation of these screenshots’ authenticity could lead to serious repercussions for Mateer, including a possible suspension from collegiate competition.

At present, these allegations have not been officially verified. Nevertheless, the screenshots have Mateer being accused of participating in sports gambling during his tenure with the Washington State Cougars from 2022 to 2024. On top of that, the Sooners’ QB wouldn’t be the only one in hot water either; the University of Oklahoma could face fallout of its own. And in today’s viral world, the reputational damage might sting just as much as the penalties.

Authenticity of the Venmo screenshots

At this time, the authenticity of screenshots remains unconfirmed. The images first surfaced on social media through Barstool Longhorn, an affiliate of Barstool Sports connected to the Texas Longhorns, longtime rival of the Oklahoma Sooners.

In a subsequent post, the account asserted, “This is very real and very easy to find on Venmo,” highlighting that UCLA and USC faced off on November 19th, implying that the transactions were indeed linked to bets placed on that particular game.

Adding to the growing attention, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum remarked, “Oklahoma is in line for a big season and John Mateer is the reason,” underscoring the quarterback’s pivotal role amid the controversy.

But many have expressed skepticism about the implications drawn from them. In response to the controversy,  CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah weighed in, “Those Venmo receipts definitely aren’t actually him sports gambling, but just in general, it is very funny that Venmo transactions are public. There’s really zero good reason for it. Let us have our bizarre collection of inside joke emojis in peace,” The situation continues to unfold as observers await further clarification or official statements from the relevant authorities.