Mateer denies involvement in sports gambling; no NCAA probe yet

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is denying any involvement in sports gambling after screenshots surfaced on social media showing Venmo transactions described with “sports gambling” as the reason. Mateer, who transferred to Oklahoma this offseason and is poised to be the Sooners’ starter, said the references were taken out of context and that he has never placed a bet on sports. Oklahoma officials also said there is no known NCAA investigation at this time, while noting the program monitors such activity closely.

The screenshots date to 2022, when Mateer was at Washington State. They allegedly show payments connected to a teammate and reference a college football game, with descriptions that appeared to involve sports wagering. Mateer acknowledged the volatility of social media posts but asserted that he never gambled on sports. “The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false,” he wrote in a social media statement. “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.” He added that the descriptions were inside jokes between friends rather than an...