Moneyline Mateer meets Cold Cash Calzada
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer made headlines this week after old Venmo transactions surfaced with descriptions like “Sports Betting” attached. The internet, naturally, ran wild with speculation.
Mateer has denied the allegations, saying, “The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false… my previous Venmo descriptions… were inside jokes between me and my friends. I have never bet on sports.”
While the NCAA will determine if there’s any substance behind the screenshots, the saga took an unexpected turn when Kentucky quarterback Zach Calzada got pulled into the social media circus.
Fans have been scouring players’ Venmo profiles lately, looking for wild transactions, or even sending them funny requests.
— Chris Beasmore (@CBeasmoreSports) August 13, 2025
One UK fan jokingly asked Zach Calzada for $20 with the note “Go Cats, don’t make any wild transactions” 🐱💙… and Calzada actually sent it!
Hope it’s… pic.twitter.com/z1LXz6RQTl
A fan sent Calzada a $20 Venmo request with the note: “Go Cats, don’t make any wild transactions.” Instead of ignoring it, Calzada flipped the script — sending the $20 back to the fan with the same note.
It was a harmless, funny moment that drew laughs online and showed Calzada’s personality. But the bigger story is a reminder of how serious sports betting violations can be for athletes.
Just last year, several Iowa and Iowa State players were accused of betting on college sports, in a wild back and forth case. Charges were brought against several athletes but were dismissed because the technology used was done so without a warrant. You see Brian Sanger, an agent of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, saw a bunch of blips of sports betting users focused inside the University of Iowa's athletic department. Only athletes were allowed inside there, along with support staff according to ESPN. However, several lost all or some of the eligibility because of it. The NCAA’s updated penalties are severe: wagering on your own sport means a lifetime ban; betting on other college sports can still cost you a full season.
For Calzada who's journey to Kentucky is full of twists and turns, this was just a lighthearted response to a meme-worthy moment. For others, though, Venmo-gate is a cautionary tale: in 2025, every transaction — and every joke — lives forever online.