Soccer predictions, best bets today: Betting tips, expert picks for games on Wednesday, October 5

It’s all about the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday with another eight matches on the slate.

Our best bets for two of the eight Champions League matches are outlined below, including one moneyline that appears somewhat fishy.

While yesterday’s Champions League matches provided plenty of exciting matchups, today’s games present even more high-profile meetings as Chelsea meet AC Milan, Real Madrid host Shakhtar Donetsk, and PSG travel to Portuguese side Benfica.

Those big games are the source of some of today’s best bets, as all eyes will be on the top European clubs in their pursuit for the most coveted continental title on the planet.

MORE: Sporting News soccer betting guide

Chelsea vs. AC Milan prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: AC Milan moneyline (to win)
• Odds: +390 (Caesars)
• Prediction (Win/Draw): AC Milan

While normally I wouldn’t suggest betting a high-profile match that’s so evenly matched as this, the odds are just too good to pass up. In fact, the odds disparity between these two teams is hard to explain.

It’s shocking that Chelsea, who sit bottom of the Champions League group and have looked shaky in the Premier League, are minus-odds favorites in this match against a very strong Italian side. Take advantage of this, as even if it eventually falls, it is well worth the potential upside. — Kyle Bonn

Real Madrid vs. Shakhtar Donetsk prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: Under 3.5 goals
• Odds: -125 (Caesars)
• Prediction (Win/Draw): Real Madrid win

Real Madrid are clearly the better team here, but they’ve looked toothless in the absence of Luka Modric; Dani Ceballos just doesn’t present quite the same progressive danger.

Shakhtar may have seen their roster depleted of international players by the temporary FIFA ruling on Ukrainian clubs, but it hasn’t shown, having picked up four points in the first two Champions League matches.

Expect Real Madrid to control the ball and likely come out on top, but the Ukrainian club will present a stiff challenge. — Kyle Bonn

Juventus vs. Maccabi Haifa prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: Maccabi Haifa 1st half double chance 
• Odds:-101 (Caesars)
• Prediction (Win/Draw): Juventus

Juventus may be coming off their best result of the season thus far against Bologna (3-0) — and they didn’t even have the suspended Angel Di Maria for that one — but those goals came in transition, on broken plays, and on quality finishes from their stars. They can’t necessarily count on all those things to happen against Maccabi Haifa. So while the Italian side has the talent to win, it won’t be an easy one.

The Haifa first half double chance came in against both Benfica and PSG though it’s notable to flag that it’s Yom Kippur on Wednesday and a majority of the Maccabi Haifa roster will be fasting. They’re expected to be able to fuel back up at sundown, about an hour before kickoff. — Simon Borg

* = First half Maccabi Haifa draw no bet is available on Sports Interaction at +340 (4.40).

RB Leipzig vs. Celtic prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: RB Leipzig win and Over 2.5 total goals
• Odds: +106 (Caesars)
• Prediction (Win/Draw): RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig may be in last place in their Champions League group and in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but they’ve generally responded well to the recent managerial change, winning both home games by 3-0 and 4-0 scorelines, and outplaying Real Madrid at the Bernabeu for large swathes of that match.

Celtic have not looked out of place in Europe thus far, but ultimately the quality of Real Madrid’s forwards did them in back in September, and so can the combination of Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku and Timo Werner.

Leipzig know they need to win this game at all costs to give themselves a shot at advancing with a trip to Celtic Park and another match against Real Madrid among their final three matches. Between the home team’s desperation and the visitors’ ability to hit them in transition, the goals should be there. Five of Leipzig’s six home matches have gone over 2.5 goals this season. — Simon Borg

Yesterday’s picks

Kyle predicted Napoli to win big, which they did emphatically to the tune of a 6-1 result over Dutch champions Ajax, earning a big return. He also predicted a Marseille win over Sporting CP, but was pegged back as the goals total in that match went just a hair over the predicted under.

It was more bad luck for Simon, who saw Jamal Musiala’s first-half goal called back for an offside call that was hard to see, only to watch him get pulled at halftime. He also predicted goals in Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham, but he didn’t predict that Tottenham’s finishers would take the day off with the two sides failing to score despite putting up a combined 2.46 xG. On another day, that over cashes.

Soccer best bets records

Records below compiled since the first edition of this post on October 3, 2022.