I usually play SNG's but i dipped into a ring game and deposited 25$ into it (blinds 25/50)

First hand i'd like for analysis
Im in BB with J4o
4 limpers to me and i check, to my luck it comes J44!!
the pot is $3 i believe and i bet $1 and get 3 callers, thats good.. so the pot is now 7$ for the turn, which is a 7
once again im obviously first to act, and i bet $4 this time, and get only 1 caller this time around, the river is an 8
i check to appear weak, and he bets $5. I Quickly raise it to 15$ and he calls and flips over pocket 8's, there goes my first buy-in just 3-4 minutes in.. How would you play this hand?

I reload to try again


third hand into my new $25

Second Hand for analysis
2 limpers to me (in middle position) so i limp in with Pocket 5's, so 3 limpers (me included) and the BB checks. It comes 2 4 5 (2 spades) someone in early position bets $2, i flat call, thinking im ahead but a bit weary of a flush and straight draw, and another person flat calls behind me. I probably should have raised here more but i've had some horrible luck with flushes lately so i wanted to see the turn before i got myself committed. The turn is a 8 (no spade) so the board reads 2 4 5 8 (2spade)
i realize this board could be getting dangerous, early position checks and i bet $5 and the guy behind me calls and the first person folds, by this time the pot is around $17. The turn is a 9,, final board 24589 (no flush)
i check on the river, because i think this guy just missed his flush, i want to give him a chance to bluff it. He puts in $6, i raise it to $12, he re-raises to 18$ and i realize that i am probably beat and call (so pretty much my whole buy-in is in this pot)

I'll tell you what he had after someone analysis this last hand.

I get a feeling im gonna hear raise it on the flop, but the first guy in position was a bluffer and by flat calling him i felt i could get more out of him, after a non-dangerous turn card. On the turn i felt the board could get dangerous so i bet enough to hopefully knock off any flush drawers/straight drawers.