The Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock stands out among American mass killers because of his wealth. He became a millionaire, according to his family, through the buying and selling of real estate and through skillful high-stakes gambling.

His fortune is not big enough — perhaps $5 million, according to some estimates — to make a significant dent in the likely payouts from lawsuits and claims against Mr. Paddock’s estate. But it is enough to prompt an unusual legal strategy by lawyers for some of Mr. Paddock’s victims, who want to make sure the money is not depleted by legal expenses.

The lawyers have asked a Nevada court to set up the estate so that the money can be distributed, without lawsuits, to families of the dead and those who were wounded in the attack. One idea being discussed is folding Mr. Paddock’s assets into a fund already set up for victims, which has raised about $22 million. More than 500 people were injured and 58 others died after Mr. Paddock opened fire from an upper floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino at an outdoor country music festival in October.

The lawyers also want the court to ensure that Mr. Paddock’s heirs do not benefit from the estate and that they have no role in how it is managed. No will has been discovered and relatives do not believe he prepared one.