A method of distributing network traffic during streaming, comprising: transmitting, by a data processing system having one or more processors, to each client device of a plurality of client devices, a respective first response comprising a selected first respective content pod to the client device for insertion in a content break separating a first portion of streaming content and a second portion of the streaming content; receiving, by the data processing system, from a first client device of the plurality of client devices during playback of the first respective content pod, a first request for content to insert into the content break for playback subsequent to playback of the first respective content pod, the first request for content generated at a first time that has elapsed since initiation of playback of the first respective content pod via a first request generation policy; receiving, by the data processing system, from a second client device of the plurality of client devices during playback of the first respective content pod, a second request for content to insert into the content break for playback subsequent to playback of the first respective content pod, the second request for content generated at a second time that has elapsed since initiation of playback of the first respective content pod via a second request generation policy, the second time different from the first time; selecting, by the data processing system, a second content pod responsive to the first request from the first client device and a third content pod responsive to the second request from the second client device; and transmitting, by the data processing system, a respective second response comprising the second content pod to the first client device and a respective second response comprising the third content pod to the second client device during the playback of the first respective content pod for playback subsequent to completion of the playback of the first respective content pod; wherein the first respective content pod transmitted to the first client device is a fourth content pod and the first respective content pod transmitted to the second client device is a fifth content pod; and wherein transmitting the respective first response comprising the first respective content pod comprises transmitting the fourth content pod to the first client device at a third time during the first portion of the streaming content in accordance with a pod distribution policy and transmitting the fifth content pod at a fourth time different from the third time during the first portion of the streaming content in accordance with the pod distribution policy. transmitting, by a data processing system having one or more processors, to each client device of a plurality of client devices, a respective first response comprising a selected first respective content pod to the client device for insertion in a content break separating a first portion of streaming content and a second portion of the streaming content; receiving, by the data processing system, from a first client device of the plurality of client devices during playback of the first respective content pod, a first request for content to insert into the content break for playback subsequent to playback of the first respective content pod, the first request for content generated at a first time that has elapsed since initiation of playback of the first respective content pod via a first request generation policy; receiving, by the data processing system, from a second client device of the plurality of client devices during playback of the first respective content pod, a second request for content to insert into the content break for playback subsequent to playback of the first respective content pod, the second request for content generated at a second time that has elapsed since initiation of playback of the first respective content pod via a second request generation policy, the second time different from the first time; selecting, by the data processing system, a second content pod responsive to the first request from the first client device and a third content pod responsive to the second request from the second client device; and transmitting, by the data processing system, a respective second response comprising the second content pod to the first client device and a respective second response comprising the third content pod to the second client device during the playback of the first respective content pod for playback subsequent to completion of the playback of the first respective content pod; wherein the first respective content pod transmitted to the first client device is a fourth content pod and the first respective content pod transmitted to the second client device is a fifth content pod; and wherein transmitting the respective first response comprising the first respective content pod comprises transmitting the fourth content pod to the first client device at a third time during the first portion of the streaming content in accordance with a pod distribution policy and transmitting the fifth content pod at a fourth time different from the third time during the first portion of the streaming content in accordance with the pod distribution policy.