A method for distribution of content over a communication network comprising: receiving , from a content provider and by one or more data processing apparatus using the network , event distribution data specifying content to be distributed during a live event that will occur in the future; determining an interest period (206, 210a - 210c) for the live event based on changes in query volume for search queries referencing the live event, wherein the interest period includes an interest start time (t1, t4), a peak interest time (t2, t6), and an interest end time (t3, t8); identifying , by the one or more data processing apparatus and after receiving the event distribution data , an opportunity to provide the content to a user at a user device based on request data (112; 236) submitted to the one or more data processing apparatus by the user device , wherein the request data includes user attribute information and timestamp information; determining , by the one or more data processing apparatus , that a time of the opportunity is between the interest start time (t1, t4) and the interest end time (t3, t8) for the live event; determining , by the one or more data processing apparatus , that the user device is located in a same geographic region as the live event based on geographical data provided by the user device and that the user is interested in the live event based, at least in part, on attributes of the user matching attributes of users that were identified as interested in the live event, and providing , by the one or more data processing apparatus and to the user device , computer executable instructions that initiate presentation of the content on a display of the user device in response to determining that the time of the opportunity is between the interest start time (t1, t4) and the interest end time (t3, t8), the user device is located in the same geographic region, and the user is interested in the live event. receiving , from a content provider and by one or more data processing apparatus using the network , event distribution data specifying content to be distributed during a live event that will occur in the future; determining an interest period (206, 210a - 210c) for the live event based on changes in query volume for search queries referencing the live event, wherein the interest period includes an interest start time (t1, t4), a peak interest time (t2, t6), and an interest end time (t3, t8); identifying , by the one or more data processing apparatus and after receiving the event distribution data , an opportunity to provide the content to a user at a user device based on request data (112; 236) submitted to the one or more data processing apparatus by the user device , wherein the request data includes user attribute information and timestamp information; determining , by the one or more data processing apparatus , that a time of the opportunity is between the interest start time (t1, t4) and the interest end time (t3, t8) for the live event; determining , by the one or more data processing apparatus , that the user device is located in a same geographic region as the live event based on geographical data provided by the user device and that the user is interested in the live event based, at least in part, on attributes of the user matching attributes of users that were identified as interested in the live event, and providing , by the one or more data processing apparatus and to the user device , computer executable instructions that initiate presentation of the content on a display of the user device in response to determining that the time of the opportunity is between the interest start time (t1, t4) and the interest end time (t3, t8), the user device is located in the same geographic region, and the user is interested in the live event. <EOS>