Short odds on Brexit vote to remain in EU

Leader of the Ukip Party Nigel Farage waves from the top of an open top bus in London as part of his party's campaign for Britain to leave the EU. Photo / AP

The campaign to keep Britain in the European Union has extended its lead over the "Out" campaign in a new opinion poll, while two major bookmakers have offered the shortest odds to date on a vote to remain.

The poll from market research company Opinium for the Observer marked the sixth poll out of seven published in the last week to show the Remain campaign in the lead.

Forty-four per cent of Britons wanted to remain in the EU, up from 42 per cent in an Opinium/Observer poll at the end of last month, while the proportion wanting to leave edged down a point to 40 per cent.

Earlier, William Hill and Ladbrokes cut their odds on Britain remaining in the European Union to 1/6, meaning gamblers would get only £1 in profit for every £6 wagered if Britons vote to stay in the EU.

As polls have given sharply different pictures of public opinion, many investors are watching betting odds closely.

Odds have consistently indicated a high probability of an "In" result in the June 23 referendum.

"There does seem to have been some move towards staying in the EU, particularly given that ours is an online methodology which typically shows a closer race than polls conducted on the phone," Adam Drummond of Opinium Research said.

Telephone polls have tended to show a larger lead for the "Remain" campaign, with online surveys instead suggesting the referendum result will be too close to call.

Opinium surveyed 2008 adults between May 17 and 19.

"The change comes mainly from Conservative voters who have moved from narrowly backing Brexit at the end of April to a large lead for remain," Drummond added.

- Reuters, AAP