To help commence the Bundesliga season, Borussia Dortmund will welcome Bayer Leverkusen to Westfalenstadion. Saturday’s kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. ET. Below, we preview the Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen odds and lines, and make our best Bundesliga bets, picks and predictions.
Borussia Dortmund is going to have to figure its attack out coming into the new season, having lost star F Erling Haaland, who is now with EPL side Manchester City.
It will still have M Marco Reus, who has led the team’s midfield for many seasons. He had the club’s most assists (13) last season. Dortmund finished 2nd in the league, trailing Bayern Munich by 8 points. They beat 1860 Munich 3-0 in the DFB-Pokal Round of 64 on July 29.
As for Bayer, they lost their Round of 64 match 4-3 to Elversberg. The club does still have F Patrik Schick, who led the team with 24 goals a season ago. Bayer finished 3rd in the Bundesliga last year so this is a battle of two heavy-weight clubs right out the gate.
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Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen odds, lines, picks and predictions
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 6:01 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Borussia Dortmund +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Bayer Leverkusen +215 (bet $100 to win $215) | Draw +310
- Over/Under: 3.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
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Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2, Bayer Leverkusen 1
Money line (ML)
BET Borussia Dortmund (+105).
Dortmund was unstoppable at home last season, posting 13 wins and 4 losses. They beat Bayer 4-3 on the road last season, but had that win virtually evened out by a 5-2 home loss.
Their crushing home defeat was without Haaland, the team’s main attacking force. F Thorgan Hazard and 17-year-old F Jamie Bynoe-Gittens may have to carry the load, but they’re more than capable to step up into that striker role.
Bayer lost just 3 road games last season, so it is a formidable side, but considering how they kicked off the Pokal tournament, it seems they could be destined for a more challenging season.
Over/Under (O/U)
LEAN UNDER 3.5 (-115).
Dortmund is going to have to figure things out up top and do it against one of the better German sides. While I expect them to win, there’s no denying that type of change is going to have a feeling-out process.
As for Bayer, they are returning their captain, GK Lukáš Hrádecký, and had the sixth-best defense in the league last season. They should be able to give Dortmund some early issues.
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