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.