No modern offseason feels complete without a sports betti.ng 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 Oklahoma QB John Mateer. The alleged Venmo history showed 3 payments in November 2022 to ‘Richard Roaten’, believed to be linked to former Washington State teammate Landon Roaten, with the note ‘sports gambling.’ Although those transactions didn’t stay up for long. They were quickly deleted, but not before the internet grabbed its receipts. Now, the screenshots are spreading like wildfire online. But here’s the twist.
Since the screenshots hit X, the account has wiped all transactions, making it impossible to verify their authenticity. Now, Mateer, set to start at QB for the Sooners after 3 seasons with the Cougars, finds himself under a cloud of suspicion. 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.
Is this actually John Mateer’s account? If so, you got some ‘splainin to do, pal. pic.twitter.com/4eQuepTKT1
— Exposing SEC Bias (@overrated_sec) August 12, 2025
On Aug. 11, Exposing SEC Bias dropped screenshots that sent social media buzzing. A Venmo account tied to John Mateer shows eyebrow-raising notes: “Sports gambling (UCLA vs. USC),” “Sports gambling” again, and even “ultra sports gambling FIFA World Cup.” If true, the hits could be brutal. Betting on NCAA games is a major violation, one that could cost him games, eligibility, and more. 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. But what about legal troubles?
Depending on how deep the gambling claims go, legal trouble isn’t off the table, though it’s far less likely than the NCAA hammer. Still, in a wild twist, John Mateer found himself trending for all the wrong reasons and, almost in the same breath, landing on an award watch list. So, the Sooners’ QB is living the strangest double life of the offseason; scandal on one side, spotlight on the other.
John Mateer’s newest milestone
John Mateer just earned a spot on the 2025 Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List. A nod reserved for the nation’s top 36 returning QBs. Although the Little Elm, Texas, native isn’t new to the spotlight, having been a semifinalist last season. But now a junior, he’s back with bigger goals, leading a Sooners offense that’s banking on his poise and playmaking to chase glory. And why not?
Before Norman, Mateer lit it up at Washington State, racking up 7,060 passing yards and 66 touchdowns in three seasons. Now, he’s one of six returning semifinalists and part of a Big 12 crew that leads all conferences with eight QBs on the list. And Mateer stands alongside elite talents like PSU’s Drew Allar, Texas’ Arch Manning, and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik on the prestigious watch list. Now, let’s see if Mateer can handle all this buzz and make it count.
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