Oklahoma’s starting QB accused of gambling scandal over sus Venmo payments

Misleading Venmo descriptions are basically a rite of passage among college students (sure, that $150 payment for "coffee👃❄️" was just repayment for a caffeine boost). But in rare instances, they can land you in hot water.

Oklahoma starting QB John Mateer this week denied allegations that he bet on sports, after screenshots showing two suspicious Venmo payments (☝️) went viral on social media Monday night.

Mateer, a top-ranked transfer from Washington State, said the payments were “inside jokes between me and my friends” when he was a freshman, and that the memos didn’t accurately portray what the payments were for.

Nevertheless, they could land him on the NCAA’s naughty list. The organization’s current rules ban all active college athletes or institutional staff from gambling on sports at any level—pro, college, or amateur—if that sport has an NCAA championship.

• Dozens of college athletes, coaches, and staffers have been suspended, fired, or arrested for gambling violations dating back to 2023.
• They include Alabama head baseball coach Brad Bohannon, former LSU WR Kayshon Boutte, and ~60% of Notre Dame’s men’s swimming team (allegedly).

But…Mateer isn’t currently suspected of sports betting by the NCAA, according to Oklahoma Athletics. Or in other words: the only thing he’s gambled on is OU’s questionable offensive line.