UEFA Champions League (UCL) Best Bets: Soccer Picks, Predictions to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for October 20 and 21

The UEFA Champions League returns this midweek with Bayern Munich looking to start their defense with a win at home against Atletico Madrid. It’s a tough start for the Bundesliga champions, but at least they have home advantage. It’s the stand-out fixture of the opening ties, with both sides capable of making it out of Group A that also includes RB Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow. It promises to be an action-filled beginning to the Champions League. Here are some bets that I think are worth considering on DraftKings Sportsbook for the midweek slate of games.

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Set your DraftKings fantasy soccer lineups here: UCL $100K Tournament Opener [$20K to 1st]

Chelsea vs. Sevilla:

Over 2.5 total goals (-139)

Chelsea has been one of the more entertaining sides to watch this season in the EPL, but with just one win in their last four, manager Frank Lampard won’t be thrilled by that. For the second time in three EPL games, the Blues were involved in a 3-3 draw. Rather than coming from 3-0 down at West Brom to salvage a point, they squandered 2-0 and 3-2 leads to draw with Southampton, who scored their equalizer in injury time. Goals have not flowed as much in games involving Sevilla, who secured their place in this season’s competition by winning the Europa League. Two of Devilla’s last three La Liga games have been decided by a single goal. Chelsea will happily take a 1-0 win to get their campaign off to a winning start, but a leaky defense suggests the visitors may also find the net.

Lazio vs. Borussia Dortmund:

Both teams to score (-210)

All eyes will be on Dortmund forward Erling Haaland to see if he can continue his incredible goalscoring run in this competition. The Norway star became the first teenager to score 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign. Those goals were split between his time playing for RB Salzburg and Dortmund, who he joined midway through last season. Haaland has continued scoring for fun for the Bundesliga side and with 11 goals in 11 games for club and country already this season, Lazio will have their hands full containing him. The Champions League could prove to be a welcome distraction for the Italian side, who has been disappointing domestically. Since winning their league opener, they have taken just one point from their last three contests to leave them 14th with four points from four games. With Club Bruges and Zenit Saint Petersburg in the same group, these two sides should advance to the knockout stage.

Paris SG vs. Manchester United:

Over 2.5 total goals (-180)

Paris Saint-Germain hopes to go one better than last season when they were beaten by Bayern Munich in August’s final. Edinson Cavani’s time at PSG had already come to a bitter end by that stage. As fate would dictate, Cavani has a chance to get one over on his former employers with his new club Manchester United, who signed the free agent in the offseason. After dropping their first two games, PSG has won five straight, outscoring their opponents 16-1 to climb to second in Ligue 1. United looked set to drop two points at Newcastle on Saturday, but three goals in the 86th minute or later rescued the Red Devils. Cavani may have to wait for his United debut, but he could get his opportunity if the visitors fall behind and they need goals in the latter stage of this tie. United has not won in a shutout in the EPL and they will do well to keep Kylian Mbappe and company to zero goals in Paris.

Bayern Munich vs. Atletico Madrid:

Over 2.5 total goals (-165)

Bayern begins their defense of the Champions League in the toughest way possible against an Atletico side that strangles the life out of teams. The Spanish side, who drew two of their last three league games 0-0, will want to make this a low-scoring game, but that is easier said than done against a Bayern team that cruised to the title last season, winning all 10 of their ties. The Bavarians scored a total of 43 goals along the way and the last time they faced a Spanish side in the Champions League, they beat Barcelona 8-2. Atletico — be warned. The home side has won all four Champions League meetings between these two sides, which bodes well for Bayern, who has begun the season in fine goal-scoring form with 17 goals netted in their four Bundelsliga contests. Atletico will be encouraged by the fact that the German champions have also conceded eight goals in their last three league games. This is a clash of two styles, but it’s one that Bayern should win with plenty of goals thrown in for good measure.

Ajax vs. Liverpool:

Both teams to score (-215)

Before Saturday, much of the handle for this game would have been on Liverpool to win, but the serious knee injury to Reds key defender Virgil Van Dijk opens the door for Ajax to get something from this tie. Even with Van Dijk at the heart of their defense, Liverpool conceded 11 goals in the four games before Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Everton in which the EPL champions led twice. Ajax warmed up for this contest with a comfortable 5-1 win at home to Hereenveen which helped them move up to second in the table. Liverpool will be wise to give the Dutch side their full attention in a game that should see both goalkeepers picking the ball out of the own nets. Remarkably, for all their history in this competition for both clubs, this will be only the third meeting and first since December 1966.

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Set your DraftKings fantasy soccer lineups here: UCL $100K Tournament Opener [$20K to 1st]

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is CharliePMullan) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.

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