With the schedule for Champions League Round 1 now officially etched in stone, the real fun begins: Dropping our best bets to win all the top group matchups taking place on Tuesday, September 6 and Wednesday, September 7.
This time around, our best picks to win during Champions League Round 1 will include a bunch of the usual suspects. Chelsea and Manchester City, in particular, look poised to dominate. At the same time, Liverpool and Real Madrid also loom. There are other Champions League bets to monitor, as well.
Before we get started, here's a look at the latest betting odds for the Champions League, which come from our friends over at Bovada:
| Match Date | Favorite |  | | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6/22 | Dortmund | -290 | +480 (Draw) | +650 | FC Copenhagen |
| 9/6/22 | Chelsea | -240 | +370 (Draw) | +600 | Dinamo Zagreb |
| 9/6/22 | Manchester City | -240 | +370 (Draw) | +650 | Sevilla |
| 9/6/22 | Benifica | -500 | +550 (Draw) | +1400 | Maccabi Haifa |
| 9/6/22 | AC Milan | +110 | +250 (Draw) | +240 | Red Bull Salzburg |
| 9/6/22 | Real Madrid | -170 | +330 (Draw) | +460 | Celtic |
| 9/6/22 | RB Leipzig | -480 | +550 (Draw) | +1200 | Shakhtar |
| 9/6/22 | Paris St-G | -270 | +410 (Draw) | +650 | Juventus |
| 9/6/22 | Eintracht Frankfurt | +120 | +260 (Draw) | +210 | Sporting Lisbon |
| 9/7/22 | Ajax | -230 | +380 (Draw) | +550 | Rangers |
| 9/7/22 | Bayern Munich | -115 | +300 (Draw) | +270 | Inter |
| 9/7/22 | Tottenham | -210 | +320 (Draw) | +600 | Marseille |
| 9/7/22 | Leverkusen | +115 | +290 (Draw) | +210 | Club Brugge |
| 9/7/22 | Barcelona | -1100 | +950 (Draw) | +3100 | Plzen |
| 9/7/22 | Atletico Madrid | -130 | +250 (Draw) | +400 | Porto |
| 9/7/22 | Liverpool | -115 | +280 (Draw) | +300 | Napoli |
Please remember to double-check all these betting odds on soccer until you actually place your wager. Our Champions League Round 1 betting odds are accurate entering Monday, September 5, so there is still time for them to shift prior to the start of every match.
Need a home to bet on the Champions League in 2022? We've got you covered. Check out our reviews of all the top online sportsbooks, and you'll be able to spot the best Champions League betting sites in no time at all!
Now, let's get to some Champions League Round 1 predictions!
Chelsea will Have No Trouble Picking Up a Victory in Champions League Round 1
Chelsea's stock has been exceedingly fragile this season. The defense, in particular, has struggled to contain opponents after taking risks when they attempt to force turnovers at midfield.
Whether Chelsea can survive Group E, specifically, is a separate matter entirely. For this matchup alone, their offense should trounce the ultra-conservative approach rolled out by Dinamo Zagreb.
OSB Prediction: Chelsea (-240)
Manchester City Should Shut Out Sevilla
Pretty much every time you watch Manchester City you'll find yourself thinking: "Dang, how do these guys not have more trophies placed atop their mantle?"
Indeed, this team's current core is that dominant. Even if Manchester City doesn't have the typical amount of hardware associated with a Champions League dynasty, they have very much been trendsetters for the rest of the clubs.
All of which is to say: Sevilla is but a small, teensy, tiny roadblock for Manchester City in Champions League Round 1.
OSB Prediction: Manchester City (-240)
Real Madrid is Offering Great Value for Champions League Round 1
Oddsmakers seem to be hedging themselves against disaster as Real Madrid get set to take on Celtic.
Club manager Carlo Ancelotti is now tasked with accounting for the absence of star defensive midfielder Carlos Casemiro, and he doesn't appear to have a ready replacement in his absence. Aurelien Tchouameni has looked okay in his spot, but it took 88th minute heroics from Karim Benzema for this squad to guarantee their most recent win.
Overall, the defense has looked much different, and far more vulnerable, without Casemiro in the fold. That's something to consider in the larger context of Group Play. Through Champions League Round 1, though, we're not worried.
OSB Prediction: Real Madrid (-170)
Liverpool Should Be Considered a Sure Thing vs. Napoli
In recent weeks, many have started to ponder whether the team to beat behind Manchester City is Liverpool. That's quite the compliment.
To be sure, we get the hype. Liverpool has survived a ton of midfield injuries and is getting excellent play from some of their youngsters. But the idea they're the second team to beat seems to be penalizing Bayern Munich for how tough their own group is known to be.
At any rate, Champions League Round 1 should be a stepping stone for Liverpool, even if they remain a tad shorthanded. We're not seeing anything from Napoli that suggests they're a true upset threat.
OSB Prediction: Liverpool (-115)
Capitalize on Eintracht Frankfurt Paying Out Better Than Even Money
Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League but looked mighty unimpressive during Bundesliga competition. Without question, they clearly miss Filip Kostic this year.
Nevertheless, in a game vs. Sporting Lisbon, we like them to pay out at better than even money. Eintracht Frankfurt's biggest issue has been their decision to willingly funnel pressure towards their goalkeeper, but that problem has noticeably subsided in recent outings.
OSB Prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt (+120)
Can Inter Pull Off the Upset vs. Bayern Munich?
Inter Milan has quickly become a darling for Champions League Round 1. Bettors and oddsmakers love the fact they were able to bring back last year's core, including Milan Skriniar. They have, as such, been deemed the non-top-five team most likely to shock the world and make a deep run.
However, we're not ready to go as far as others currently have. Perhaps they can pull out a draw (+300), if they're lucky, thanks to the unique defensive coverages they roll out.
But in the end, Bayern Munich is considered the second best club in Champions League for a reason: They have an offense that is the envy of the rest of the world. That's enough to assure them victory here.
OSB Prediction: Bayern Munich (-115)
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