Betting swings heavily for Clinton ahead of first results

Clinton price now close to shortest ever

Hilary Clinton is red hot favourite to win (Getty/Jim Watson)

Betting markets have shifted heavily in Hilary Clinton's favour within minutes of the first polls closing in the US presidential election.

The Democrat nonimee's price with Ladbrokes has come in to 1-6 during the evening, the shortest it has been since October. That implies a better than 80 per cent chance that Hilary Clinton will become the first woman president of the United States.

If the bookmakers are right it would come as a big relief to the world's financial markets, which have been banking on a Clinton victory.

Ladbrokes took a £120,00 on Clinton at the 1-6 price at 10.45pm to win £20,000, indicating that high rolling punters are increasingly confident that she will win.

Donald Trump, by contrast, has drifted out to 9-2.

A Clinton victory would be a major win for bookmakers given the backing for Trump at high prices during the early part of his candidacy. The Republican has been backed by more twice the number of punters that have supported Clinton with Ladbrokes. Since Monday he has attracted 71 per cent of the bets by number but 82 per cent of the money has been taken for Clinton.

Nevertheless, because Clinton's price has been so much shorter bookmakers will be celebrating her victory.

The pattern is very similar to the Brexit referendum. The US election has, however, eclipsed that event in terms of the money taken making it the biggest ever political betting event.

Ladbrokes head of politics Matt Shaddick said: "We've been sweating on Trump for a year and a half. He was 150-1 when he first declared his candidacy. If the betting moves we've seen tonight are correct then we may have dodged a bullet."